1. Evaluation and Revalidation 2016/17 Briefing Seminar
Catherine Avery
Academic Office
5 October 2016

2. Programme Approval Aims of evaluation and revalidation
Revalidation Units and Cycle
Overview of revalidation process
Panel membership
Papers
The Meeting
Curriculum Management System (CMS)
Documentation
Programme Review and Development Process (Pilot)
Issues raised by Panels (2015/16)
Issues raised by students (2015/16)
Key changes (2015/16 & 2016/17)

3. Purpose
EVALUATION:
accords with the University’s purpose and core strategic aims;
academic structure and content appropriate;
accords with the University’s scheme of qualifications; modular structure; credit framework and general regulations for the award;
standard and student workload comparable to those of other programmes nationally;
resources sufficient to meet aims and objectives;
evidence of reasonable employment and progression opportunities.
REVALIDATION:
re-affirmation of standards
continuing currency and relevance of curriculum to University’s Aims

4. Revalidation Units and Cycle
Subject units
Groupings of cognate programmes for the efficient organisation of the re-approval process
Reflect discipline and/or campus, level (UG/PG)
Revalidation course listing
Five year cycle
Units/sub-units allocated to a specific year within the cycle (related to period of approval)

5. Revalidation Process Faculty response
CA Faculty Revalidation Unit Coordinator
Document prepared
Revalidation meeting CASC LTC
Faculty response

6. Panel membership Chair
Dean (or nominee) (collaborative provision only)
One internal member
One student representative (revalidation only)
Two external members (subject experts)
Industry/employer representative (optional except for Fdn degrees)
PSRB representatives (joint events only)
In Attendance: Secretary (Academic Office)
Subject Partnership Manager (collaborative provision)

7. Papers for the Meeting Handbook for Panel members
Guidelines for panels
Agenda and programme
Contextual information e.g. benchmark standards, external examiner reports
Course/subject documentation
Aide Memoire
Preliminary comments - CA7 (panel members)
CA4 form (collaborative provision)

8. The Meeting Introductions and tour of facilities
specialist teaching facilities
Private Panel session
to exchange opinions on the provision
to plan the conduct of the meeting
Meeting with Senior Faculty Team
to discuss higher level strategic issues

9. The Meeting contd. Meeting with Students (revalidation only)
students’ opinions – what’s good and what’s not so good
Meeting with Course Team(s)
to consider the provision in detail
Private Meeting of Panel
to reach a decision on the provision
Meeting with Senior Faculty Team
to feedback conclusions and recommendations

10. Curriculum Management System (CMS) https://curriculum.ulster.ac.uk
System to support production and approval of curriculum documentation for internal University courses (Phase 1)
Resource for:
Modules – creation and revision
Programme Specification
Courses/Subjects – preparation of validation documentation
Approval processes – course revisions, course withdrawals, validation documents, credit-bearing short course modules

11. Key Benefits Online documentation and approval process
Automatic creation of PDFs of programme specifications and module descriptions
Facility to update reading lists and teaching teams
Online accessible, single repository of full module and course information
Information can be used for other curriculum-related documents
HEAR - programme-level learning outcomes
KIS – teaching, learning and assessment methods
Online prospectus

12. Documentation Section A: Introduction
Section A: Introduction
Brief summary of rationale, origins, demand, relationship with other courses
Projected intakes for next 5 years
Section B: Course/Subject Provision
B1 Programme Specifications

13. B2 Commentaries: Recent and proposed changes (revalidation only)
Academic progression, internal coherence, choice
Structure diagram(s)
Transfer to and from course, progression opportunities
Work-based learning/placement/study abroad
Learning, teaching and assessment
Research and/or scholarship-informed curriculum and teaching
Creativity, innovation and good practice
Standards
Relations with PSRBs
Employability
Graduate Qualities and Student Experience Principles

14. B3 - Regulations (standard templates on AO web-site)
B4 - Module Descriptions
Section C: Resources
C1 - Physical resources
C2 - Staff resources
Appendices

15. Programme Review and Development Process (PRD): Key Features
Internal, outcentre and franchised provision
School/subject based units (approx. 40)
Documentation to include a course handbook
Panel engagement with externals
Panel composition
Programme
Documentation in SharePoint

16. PRD Pilots School of the Built Environment (2015/16)
April & June 2016 Panel Meetings
18 courses
Reported to Learning and Teaching Committee (June 2016)
Pilot extended in 2016/17 (International Business, Law, Psychology)

17. Examples of Issues Raised by Panels 2015/16
Recruitment and Marketing
the marketing of programmes internationally;
the availability of a fully online version of programmes to make provision accessible internationally;
clarify projected intakes by study mode;
pathways and study routes to be clear in promotional materials.

18. Content and Standards
title of programmes/modules to reflect content;
academic level of programmes/modules;
course structure, sequence of modules (full-time and part-time modes), study loads;
provision of exit awards with learning outcomes expressed appropriately to reflect the exit award level;
mapping of programme learning outcomes to modules for the final award and all exit awards;
evidence of the internationalisation of the curriculum;
currency/length of reading lists;
articulation of arrangements for progression from Foundation degrees to the related Ulster Honours degrees to be reviewed/clarified and close liaison with Ulster subject specialists needed (Colleges).

19. Learning and Teaching
expand overarching learning, teaching and assessment section;
opportunities to use new digital technologies and learning resources and consider the potential for fully online learning to enhance the student learning experience and to increase accessibility;
include evidence that the curricula and teaching has been informed by research and scholarship.

20. Assessment and Feedback
assessment strategy to clarify how the Principles of Assessment and Feedback for Learning have been embedded;
the rationale for assessment weightings; more consistency in assessment load across modules to ensure equity in effort required in relation to credit value; avoid over-assessment;
group composition and assessment, in particular the need to assign appropriate weightings of marks for group/individual work in final year beyond simply meeting the University’s threshold in this regard; the assessment arrangements and criteria to be communicated explicitly to students; take into account best practice and ensure there is equity and fairness across the student cohort and that marks awarded reflect individual effort and achievement;
ensure students are aware of the University’s assessment feedback turn-around time expectations.

21. induction arrangements;
Support for Students
induction arrangements;
support arrangements for students entering with advanced standing.
 Resources and Staff Development
library resources;
adequacy of resources to meet increase in student numbers (Colleges);
use of existing online technologies and pedagogies to be optimised/exploited;
the adequacy of full-time and part-time academic staff resources and technical staff;
recognised teacher nominations to be reviewed and processed prior to commencement of teaching.

22. Examples of Issues Raised by Students in 2015/16
Organisation and Delivery
  Internal Provision
early participation in EDGE activities;
support for students from a non-cognate background;
more contact needed between different year groups;
very large classes can lead to poorer student engagement and lead to lower attendance at classes;
contributions from several lecturers to the delivery of a module can result in lack of continuity.

23. Partner Institutions
part-time Foundation degree students, not in relevant employment, can find it difficult to find relevant work-based learning with another employer;
the scheduling of the work-based learning module (Foundation degrees);
an opportunity to share experiences with former students would be useful;
different teachers using very different teaching methods in common areas of content can lead to confusion.

24. Assessment and Feedback Internal Provision bunching’ of examinations;
bunching’ of examinations;
some modules required much more effort and work than others for the same amount of credit;
some assignments were very lengthy and the weighting did not reflect the amount of work involved;
group work – individual effort not reflected in assessment weightings; some students felt they ‘carried’ individuals who did not contribute to group assessments; students should not be advantaged or disadvantaged by the work of other students particularly where the modules contribute to the degree classification;
students taking a module as standalone with students registered on a programme were viewed as being less committed to undertaking group work activities which had affected the marks awarded.

25. Resources
Internal Provision
students to be informed before enrolment of the estimated cost of equipment that needs to be purchased;
External Provision
some books out-dated and texts difficult to source;
Wi-Fi speed slow and could cause difficulties at the time of submitting assignments online ahead of deadlines;
organised social trips would be welcomed.

26. Key Changes
2015/16
Adoption of Principles underpinning the Ulster Student Experience
Requirement for project/dissertation and period of work-based learning in Honours degrees, including Integrated Masters
New Digital Learning Strategy
2016/17
Electronic Management of Assessment Policy (New)
Guidelines on the use of Turnitin (New)
New academic and management structures – transitional year

27. Academic Office Web-site: http://www.ulster.ac.uk/academicoffice
Assessment Handbook
Committees (Learning and Teaching Committee/Course Approval Sub-Committee)
Course and Subject Management
Documents and forms
External Examiners
Policies (A – Z)
Programme Approval & Revision
Regulations templates
Regulatory Framework
Staff
Standards

28. ACADEMIC OFFICE CONTACTS
Alan Faulkner ext 24566
Catherine Avery ext 24294